Archive for March 2012

Are We All Heretics? A Reply to Zack Hunt

Mar 29th, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

Zack Hunt of the facetiously titled blog, The American Jesus, gives a provocative twist to the Protestant principle of ecclesial fallibility (otherwise called sola scriptura) in his recent post, You’re a Heretic & So Am I. According to Hunt, all Christians are heretics, and all ecclesial communities are heretical, because every visible society of believers […]



Is Reformed Worship Biblical?

Mar 28th, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

Nothing characterized early Calvinism more than the “reform” of liturgy and worship. John Calvin railed against late medieval liturgy and devotion as superstitious and idolatrous, and even called on governments to suppress such “superstition” with the sword. In his mind, “superstition” was any form of worship not prescribed directly by God in Scripture.



How Not to Defend the Reformation: Why Protestants Need the Antichrist

Mar 26th, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

I’ve noticed a change of late in how Evangelical and Reformed Protestants interact with history, and I don’t think it bodes well for the coherence of Protestant apologetics. In short, some Protestants have left off restoration or recovery as their primary metaphor and replaced it with development or fruition. The logical results of this move, I […]



Brantly Millegan reviews Brad Gregory’s The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society

Mar 21st, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

This is a guest post by Brantly Millegan, in which he reviews the recently published book The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society, authored by University of Notre Dame professor of history Brad Gregory. Such a topic seems fitting on the traditional feast day for St. Benedict in the usus antiquior. We’re very […]



Our Divine Vocation to Enter into Ecumenical Dialogue: Devin Rose Replies to John Armstrong

Mar 18th, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

Two weeks ago we posted Devin Rose’s Catholic reflection on John Armstrong’s book Your Church is Too Small. The following week John replied in a post titled “A Catholic Reflection on Your Church Is Too Small: A Brief Reply to a Gracious Former-Atheist I Love and Respect.” Below is Devin’s reply to John’s reply. We […]



Are Protestant Baptisms Valid?

Mar 17th, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

In answer to this question we must say “It depends.” Some folks think that Catholic acceptance of any Protestant Baptism at all is a Vatican II novelty. This is not the case. Here is what the Catechism of the Council of Trent says: Those who may administer Baptism in case of necessity, but without its […]



“Have you been Born Again? Catholic Reflections on a Protestant Doctrine, or How Calvin’s view of Salvation destroyed his Doctrine of the Church”

Mar 14th, 2012 | By | Category: Featured Articles

When I first began to study Calvin in earnest, I was puzzled by what seemed a glaring omission in his writings and sermons. He never counseled his readers and listeners to be “Born Again.” This struck me as odd because I knew our denomination (PCA) considered Calvin to be our true founder. I also knew […]



“Edifying Idolatry: What Would Calvin Say to David Garibaldi?”

Mar 11th, 2012 | By | Category: Blog Posts

David Garibaldi is a “performance painter” who creates live art  “to inspire the audience to use their passion to benefit and inspire others.” I have no idea what his religious convictions are. However, an organization called “Thriving Churches” has posted a video of Garibaldi dramatically painting an image of Christ. The performance is surprising and engaging.



A Catholic Reflection on John Armstrong’s Your Church is Too Small

Mar 5th, 2012 | By | Category: Featured Articles

On Monday, March 26, ACT 3 and Wheaton College will be hosting “A Conversation on Unity in Christ’s Mission,” involving a dialogue in Edman Chapel between John Armstrong and Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago. The event will be streamed live from the Wheaton.edu website. In light of that forthcoming event, we invited Devin Rose to […]